Having researched diet and exercise programs (for the Mac) pretty thoroughly over the past year
or so and tried two or three of them – I knew which criteria were important for me: flexibility,
comprehen­siveness, robustness and a good support record...

by Marksealy

Great App. Extensive Database. Nice Online Service.

I lost 65 pounds using electronic diet logs over the past year and have been searching for a similar,
powerful, robust application for the iPhone. I've found it!

17 January 2017Don't Resist Strength Training as a Tool for Preventing and Treating Type 2 Diabetes

We can all benefit from strength (resistance) training to increase muscle power. Muscle strength is the ability of muscle to exert force while muscle endurance is the ability of muscle to perform without fatigue. The health benefits of strength training are many, including improvements in muscle mass, strength, physical function, bone density, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and heart health.

If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, then you have even more reason to include strength training in your fitness program. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where there is a progressive loss of insulin secretion from the pancreas. To make matters worse, the insulin that is secreted is not as effective at taking glucose (sugar) out of the blood and moving it into body tissues (insulin resistance). This results in high blood glucose and other negative health issues. Building muscle is a real bonus because muscle tissue receives glucose-carrying insulin much better than fat tissue. This helps clear the excess glucose out of the blood and into the body tissues where it can be used for energy. Starting at about age 30, the body starts to show gradual muscle decline with more dramatic decline at about age 50. It has been shown that diabetes accelerates muscle decline over time - you can read more about this in an article published in Diabetes Care: Excessive Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Strength training can help counteract this decline.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that individuals with diabetes and prediabetes follow their own physical activity plan according to their health status and ability. You can read more in their position statement from 2016. For optimal benefits, the ADA recommends including both cardio and resistance exercise, if possible. The cardio guidelines are to include at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise at least 5 days per week and to include strength training at least twice a week. Examples of strength training include using free weights, weight machines, medicine balls, resistance bands, or doing pushups, squats, or lunges.

Make sure to record your strength training minutes on the MyNetDiary tracker. Give yourself credit for your exercise and watch your progress by recording it! Not only will you build muscle, but you will also build self-confidence about your exercise plan.